Definition
周折 (zhōu zhé) refers to the setbacks, twists, and turns encountered in a process or journey. It is a noun that often collocates with 费 (fèi) in the pattern 费了一番周折, meaning 'to go through a lot of trouble'. Unlike 波折 (bō zhé), which emphasizes sudden ups and downs, 周折 focuses on the complexity and effort required to overcome obstacles.
noun
setbackstwists and turnscomplications
Measure word · 番
Examples
- ，周折。Wèile bàn chéng zhè jiàn shì, wǒmen fèi le yì fān zhōu zhé.We went through many twists and turns to get this done.
- 周折，。Jīngguò duō cì zhōu zhé, tāmen zhōngyú dáchéng le xiéyì.After many setbacks, they finally reached an agreement.
- 周折，。Zhè cì lǚxíng yù dào le bù shǎo zhōu zhé, dàn zuìzhōng hěn shùnlì.This trip encountered quite a few complications, but it ended up smooth.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.